One Battle After Another (2025)

One Battle After Another (2025)

 

6/10

Starring

Leonardo DiCaprio

Sean Penn

Benicio del Toro

Regina Hall

Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

 

The moment I saw the runtime, I was scared. My thought was, this will be another passion project that everyone will love, and I’ll be sitting here wondering what’s so great about it.
And I was right.

I have to say, I’m one of those who find this movie just OK. It’s not the great, mind-bending cinema that many critics are raving about. It’s a film I’d say fits streaming better than the big screen, because you can pause, walk away, and come back to it. At almost three hours long, that helps.

Like I said, it’s OK and watchable, but the movie tries to do too much. There are so many subplots and so many characters to keep track of, you might as well take a notepad with you.

Then there are the tonal swings. We start with a political thriller, get pulled into comedy, then family drama, then action thriller. It just jumps around genres.

The movie is written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, and it tells the story of Pat/Ghetto (Leonardo DiCaprio), an ex-revolutionist trying to rescue his daughter from a corrupt military official.

To be honest, Leonardo DiCaprio hardly did anything here. Everyone else did the running and heavy lifting. He spends half the movie trying to remember a code to reach the rendezvous point, the other half driving around, getting in and out of lockups while trying to find his daughter.

The movie starts with him and his fellow revolutionists breaking detainees out of an immigration center. Here we meet many of the characters, and acting-wise, everyone delivered. The performances are amazing, even from the side characters.

But then we get dragged into a thirty-minute setup. I could see how that could have been halved and still got the message across. It’s there so we can feel the tension and the betrayal of the revolutionist group, the French 75, when one of them sells the others out. Pat goes into hiding with his daughter, and now they’re hunted by a corrupt government official who cut the deal with the traitor.

He wants to join a white supremacist group, but he fears Willa (Pat’s daughter) might be his. The traitor had been in a relationship with both Lockjaw and Pat, so Lockjaw wants Willa dead in case she is his, leaving no evidence of an interracial relationship.

By the halfway point, the stakes are high and the tension is real. But it took over an hour to get there, and then the pace drops again before picking up toward the end. This uneven pacing really hurt the experience.

In the end, I’ll say it’s a watchable movie, but wow, you could easily shave off an hour. The endless wait for the DNA test, Lockjaw’s drawn-out discussions with the group he wants to join, the debates about how to deal with him, even that long thirty-minute start — all of it could have been trimmed down.

Paprika (2006)

 

Paprika (2006)

8/10

Starring the voices of 

Megumi Hayashibara

Tōru Emori

Katsunosuke Hori

Tōru Furuya

 

Directed by: Satoshi Kon

 

When Paprika starts and we are jumping from one scene to another in a chase, from the circus to the train and then to where everything is all morphed together, and the character wakes up from the dream, you are at this point trying to figure out, okay, where are we.

Paprika is a fantasy sci-fi movie about dreams, and a dream terrorist who needs to be stopped because he stole a device called the DC Mini, which he uses to infiltrate people’s dreams. The movie is amazing on many levels, and it’s one of those movies where you know the maker, Satoshi Kon, must have loved making it. This is pure idea brought to life, and you can feel it, and I loved it for that.

The animation is incredible, the way it flows, and the voice casting captures the needed intent. The musical score does the job of creating that deep psychological thriller effect that makes you concentrate hard.

Now, the story is not easy to follow. This is a movie about dreams, metaphors, and reality all blended into one, so you need to be on your toes so you do not get lost in the surrealism. Kon was not one to provide guardrails to make sure the viewer has a hold on what is real, which is why many, like me, believe the Christopher Nolan movie Inception is Paprika with knee braces, trying to keep the viewer standing and straight so they do not fall too deep and get lost in all the dreams and metaphors.

So what is Paprika about? Well, in continuation of the brief intro, when the device gets stolen, dreams start bleeding into reality. Nightmares take over streets, identities fracture, and nothing is safe—not logic, not gravity, not your own sense of self.

Dr. Atsuko Chiba, whose dream-world alter ego is named Paprika, is trying to track the thief and restore order.

But the line between waking and dreaming collapses because the minds of the people who provided the data during the testing of the DC Mini are accessible through the stolen device.

What you are watching is characters morphing mid-scene, dreamscapes twisting and bending like liquid, and every frame loaded with surreal, mind-bending imagery.

The movie leaves you, the audience, to deal with the chaos, to determine what is real and what is not.

In the end, the drawback of this movie is its very strength, it is very deep, a lot of things are blurred together, and you can easily get lost because there are no guardrails or knee braces.

This is a movie made for the brave, to enjoy the art of its production and the depth of its plot. Sadly all that depth and art made it very confusing, difficult to follow, and sometimes annoying.

Still a recommend watch.

Memories (1995)

 

Memories (1995)

 

8/10

Starring the voices of 

Tsutomu Isobe

Shouzou Iizuka

Kouichi Yamadera

 

Directed by:

Kōji Morimoto (Magnetic Rose)

Tensai Okamura (Stink Bomb)

Katsuhiro Otomo (Chief, Cannon Fodder)

 

Memories is not your typical anime anthology, it is three completely different sci-fi stories that somehow work together to give you something unforgettable. The movie has a nice Japanese voice cast and wonderful score.

A friend suggested it, and I took my time to see it, and I can tell you I will not forget this gem. There are some amazing anime classics from the 90s that I am just getting to know, and this is one of them.

The first story in this anthology is called Magnetic Rose, and that story alone is enough reason to see this film. It is a psychological horror that gives off Alien (Ripley) vibes.

Magnetic Rose is about space salvagers who pick up a distress call. They respond by going to a space station located somewhere they have never been before, and all around this station is what looks like a spaceship graveyard. Two of the crew members, Heintz and Miguel, go onboard, only to discover it is haunted by the memories of a dead opera singer.

In just 45 minutes you get characters you actually care about like Heintz, who is grieving over his daughter, Miguel losing himself in the illusions, and it all feels so heavy and so real. Most movies cannot build this much in two hours, but here you are watching it unfold, and it is terrifying and beautiful all at once.

Then the second story, Stink Bomb, comes at you from a completely different angle. A lab worker pops the wrong pills and suddenly he is a walking bioweapon, killing thousands just by existing, while having no clue what is happening. The dark comedy works so well because the man is just clueless, while the government and military are running around like headless chickens trying to stop him. It is funny, sad, and scary all at the same time.

The third story, Cannon Fodder, is like stepping into a dystopian painting. A city built only to fire cannons at an enemy we never see, where every single person’s life is wrapped up in this endless machine of war. It is animated as one continuous shot, which makes it suffocating to watch, like you are trapped in that city with them.

The animation across the three is insane for 1995. Each story has its own look, for instance, Magnetic Rose is lush and operatic, Stink Bomb feels cartoonish but dark, and Cannon Fodder is grimy and industrial, like living inside a war poster.

Now, here is the thing, the problem with Memories is that Magnetic Rose is such a masterpiece that the other two can feel weaker next to it. They are good, don’t get me wrong, but the first one sets the bar so high it is almost unfair. Also, Cannon Fodder is just 15 minutes long, so just when you are fully inside that world, it ends.

This is a wonderful anime to see, and I can guarantee that even the weakest of the stories will entertain you.

 

 

Perfect Blue (1997)

 

Perfect Blue (1997)

 

8/10

Starring the voices of 

Junko Iwao

Rica Matsumoto

Shiho Niiyama

Masaaki Okura

 

Directed by Satoshi Kon

 

Perfect Blue is not your normal anime, it is an anime that strives to be better than just your typical genre. It delves deep into mental health challenges, the high price paid to be famous, the challenges of letting others take control of your life decisions, and to me it does it well.

This is not an anime for children. The themes covered in this work are stylized to just make you want to either quiver, or applaud.

If you are watching it for the first time, you will be engulfed in the intense journey of Mima, a pop idol who decides to step away from music and transition into acting. This decision is pushed by her manager and her agent, who see acting as a way to make her more popular and make more money.

What follows during this transition is a descent into paranoia and fear, with blurred lines between reality and hallucination, as Mima tries to navigate the price of reinvention in an industry that feeds on her image.

Satoshi Kon’s direction in this work is brilliant. You can see how carefully he crafted every shot to make you, the viewer, feel the unease of not knowing what is real and what is imagined. This psychological horror also uses a fantastic score to push the eerie feeling even further.

The characters feel alive and broken at the same time. Mima’s struggles are laid bare before us, raw and uncut, pulling you into her world of obsessive fans.

One strength of this anime is how unpredictable it is if you are watching for the first time. The twists and the psychological tension never let up, and by the time you get to the reveal, it feels earned, but also disturbing. That said, the pacing might feel heavy for some viewers, especially in the middle parts where the story purposely drags you into Mima’s confusion.

Then there are parts that felt off, like the photographer making her take those pictures, which to me felt forced, written only to add unnecessary trauma. I feel that role of victim could have been anyone else on set, to tie her mental breakdown more directly to what she is shooting.

Overall, Perfect Blue is unsettling, powerful, and unforgettable. It is not a comfort watch, but it is a good one. If you want anime that challenges you, makes you question reality, and leaves you thinking long after the credits roll, this is one to see.

The Long Walk (2025)

 

The Long Walk (2025)

 

7/10

Starring           

Cooper Hoffman

David Jonsson

Garrett Wareing

Tut Nyuot

 

Directed by Francis Lawrence

 

The starting emotion from this movie is just amazing. Get ready for acting masterclass 101 by Judy Greer, who showed, and I practically felt it while watching, the pain a mother feels when she sees her child venture on a journey she is afraid he will never return from.

The moment you witness the first execution, you will understand her fear.

The Long Walk is a dystopian survival thriller film directed by Francis Lawrence, who did Constantine (2005) and The Hunger Games. The movie is based off a 1979 Stephen King (under his pseudonym Richard Bachman) book of the same name.

Now, the soulful, touching performance goes beyond the first scenes. Get ready for more amazing performances from Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, they made you feel the life-and-death pull. For someone who has not read the book, this is a wonderful invite.

The movie used wonderful effects, sounds, and beautiful cinematic shots to carry the eerie survival weight that it is trying to pass along.

In this dystopian world, there is an annual event known as The Long Walk, where fifty boys are selected at random from a group of volunteers to walk non-stop until only one remains.

Who determines the one that remains?

Well, walkers receive a penalty for dropping below 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h) and can receive three such penalties before they are shot dead. The last man standing is granted a cash prize and one wish fulfilled.

The main focus of the movie is Ray (Cooper Hoffman) and Peter (David Jonsson), who form a bond during this ordeal. The event is overseen by the Major (Mark Hamill), who monitors the contestants with military precision.

Ray’s motivation to enter is based on his family’s financial struggles, and as the movie develops Peter becomes the heart of the group. Despite the rule that only one can survive, Peter insists on making genuine friendships during the ordeal.

As the days progress and the body count rises, the boys face not just physical exhaustion but psychological exhaustion as well, dealing with the death of people around them, sleep deprivation, hostile weather, and the looming threat of their own death.

The film explores humanity and compassion as these men face this challenge, which is televised as entertainment.

As someone who has not read the book, I heard that the adaptation is very close to the original and that some changes happened in the ending.

Speaking of the ending, it is a bit off. There were some pacing issues toward the end, and then it just ends abruptly. I did not like that.

Even though I praised a lot of the performances in this movie, I think Mark Hamill’s was not that good.

I highly recommend you see this movie, it is worth it.

Honey Don't (2025)

Honey Don’t (2025)

3/10

Starring           

Margaret Qualley

Aubrey Plaza

Chris Evans

Charlie Day

 

Directed by Ethan Coen

 

Honey Don’t is begging you, please do not see it, and I will advise you listen.

Honey Don’t is empty at the core, a movie of many parts that do not stitch together cleanly to make you feel like you just watched a movie. How is this a dark comedy detective movie, when the comedy is missing and the detecting is lazy? Everything just seems to fall into Honey’s lap as she goes about trying to solve the three cases on her desk, which are all happening concurrently.

One thing this movie got right is the neo-noir part. Other than that, everything, every character, just felt like a fever dream of a director who wants to see the characters have meaningless sex all the time, which does not move the story forward.

The movie is directed and written by Ethan Coen, and he dropped the ball past the center of the earth with this one. Not only does it fail to pace well, but you can also tell after like twenty minutes that you have wasted your time seeing it.

The plot is about a private investigator named Honey.

Here are the moving parts: she is investigating the death of one of her clients, who has a tie to a religious cult led by Chris Evans. While she is on this investigation, she is approached by a man who asks her to investigate his boyfriend because he believes he is cheating. Then, while juggling these two cases, her niece gets kidnapped, and she is also trying to solve that.

All the characters in this movie are vague and empty, making it hard for you to connect or feel any form of empathy. Then the movie does that nonsense of trying to throw you off the scent of what is actually happening by introducing a new character (Honey’s dad), who has nothing to do with what is going on or adding anything at all.

In the end, I just wished I had done something better with my time than seeing this movie because I could not put together any reason why Coen chose to direct it this way. The acting performances are overshadowed by the vagueness of the characters the cast had to play. Then the ending reveal, which is meant to be some form of eye-opening excitement, felt like a dud compared to the meaningless emptiness I had just been dragged through.

 

Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

Highest 2 Lowest (2025)

4/10

Starring           

Denzel Washington

Jeffrey Wright

Ilfenesh Hadera

ASAP Rocky

 

Directed by Spike Lee

What is my take on this movie?

It is an average to poor movie, I am disappointed in the movie as a whole, because the story played out like a low-budget hood movie, but here we have A-class production, with A-class actors.

First, I did not like the musical score at all, it reminded me of Disney’s Homeward Bound 90s soundtrack, it was a complete tonal mismatch for a crime thriller.

The movie is predictable when the going starts, but regular Spike Lee style, the pace of the movie picks up when the real matter starts, and at that point it is captivating, but the next question is, “how long is the wait for this start?” More than half-way into the movie.

The movie starts slow at a pace that will make even a regular movie watcher want to actually switch to something else. Also, the movie’s dialogue and the movie’s message about Hip-Hop culture, the black community’s contribution to the music industry, and the evolution of modern technology felt more like a rehearsed poem. Every reference to this comes up sounding recited, there was no soul or emotional twang to it. This can be because the supporting cast of the movie gave just above average acting performance compared to Denzel’s magnificence, or it could be that these statements were disjointed from the story, maybe they are best implied than said in speeches.

The film follows David King (Denzel Washington), a wealthy New York music mogul at the height of his career, but the modern world is pushing him out, and he feels he is about to lose everything. So he decides to take back control and as he prepares to buy out his partner and take full control of his business, a sudden kidnapping happens. This unforeseen incident forces him into a crisis that tests his finances, reputation, and morals, pulling him in two opposing directions.

Another thing in the movie is the way the character Archie "Yung Felon" played by ASAP Rocky was acted. It was done in the stereotypical black man hip-hop rapper from the hood, talking in ways nobody does, using words like he is doing a music video performance. You would have expected better from a movie done by Spike Lee.

In the end, if you are not familiar with American black culture or American culture in general, many of the things in the movie will go over your head. I still believe Spike Lee did tried, in the way he was attempting to merge all these genres into this movie, but the problem is to be able to appreciate the work he was trying to do, you will need to be patient and get over the slow pacing.

In the end, I do not recommend this movie at all.